Research to Action

Program Description

Research to Action is a program in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) whose purpose is to bring together community members and environmental and occupational health researchers to investigate the potential health risks of environmental and occupational exposures that are of concern to the community. Data collection, translation of research into public health action, and project evaluation are all required. Information collected will be translated into public health action using a variety of strategies; applicants must develop an education, outreach, prevention or intervention program(s) designed to improve overall understanding of the problem amongst community members, healthcare professionals or policymakers and to promote actions that will prevent or reduce harmful environmental / occupational exposures and improve human health. Finally, applicants must implement an evaluation plan to assess project outputs and impacts relevant to the proposed project's goals and objectives.

The meaningful involvement of communities in both data collection and translation are vital to the success of this initiative. Placing an emphasis on community involvement in environmental / occupational health research will ensure that:

Communities will have a role in identifying and defining problems and risks related to environmental or occupational exposures and stressors that are of greatest importance to them.

Communities will receive the scientific and financial support necessary to conduct high quality research in partnership with scientists and/or public health professionals that will accurately characterize the distributions and/or sources of environmental / occupational exposures, and/or the distribution of exposure-related diseases in their community and empower all involved to take action to reduce potential health risks.

Communities will actively participate with researchers and public health professionals in developing effective strategies for education, outreach, and remediation in response to environmental or occupational threats as well as ways to prevent such exposures and health outcomes in the future.

All projects must include at least one research scientist in environmental or occupational health sciences in addition to at least one member of a community-based organization (CBO) who works directly and regularly with the affected community. The partnership between the research scientist and CBO should be equitable and draw upon the unique strengths that each brings to the partnership.